Sorry for the wait. I'm trying to revise, rewrite, and reassemble this story as much as I can. So, without further ado, on with chapter two!

"The Supreme Council of Antiquities is a government agency formed in 1859 to protect artifacts from grave robbers. We observe excavations throughout Egypt…and exhibits like this one around the world."

While we were walking down the hall back to the exhibit, Ms. Ishtar was explaining the purpose of our presence in Domino City to Kaiba, but he looked like he could not care less. It was a typical display of his aloof personality; it infuriated me. He was being utterly disrespectful to Ms. Ishtar and I oh so wanted to make him regret it. However, if I was going to prove that I was the better choice for Obelisk, I was going to have prove that I was mature enough first.

I was going to give Seto Kaiba a run for his money.

Kaiba scoffed at Ms. Ishtar's speech. "If you're looking for someone to find mummies and lost tombs for your 'agency', I'm sorry to disappoint you…

"My focus is technology; high-performance silicon chips for electronic game design to be more precise," he continued nonchalantly. "I don't have the least interest in ancient stones from thousands of years ago."

I rolled my eyes at his sarcasm. It was as venomous as his seething gaze - of which followed my example in rolling his eyes - and burned holes through the floor and walls like acid. It was no wonder as to why he had no friends.

"I wonder if there's an antivenin for the breed of snake Kaiba is…" I mused.

I looked up grudgingly at Kaiba only to be caught in the act. He raised his eyebrows expectantly, waiting for me to say something. And so began the battle of wits.

"Something you'd like to share with me, Takenaga?"

He was baiting me. The line was cast and the lure was sitting right in front of me. No way was I going to give him the satisfaction of landing any kind of catch. So, I had decided to snap the line.

"No, Mr. Kaiba," I replied. "Besides, I don't think you have 'the least interest' in what I have to say. Since - of course - I'm not made of technology."

"Could've fooled me; you seemed to be programmed to keep lying to me. You might as well be an android with a built-in 'fib chip'." Then followed a deep, throaty chuckle. "Although, I must admit that I have never seen an android that's as well-detailed as you are. A real shame that your personality could use some readjusting. Would you like for me to do that for you? Consider it a gift from the 'kindness' of my heart."

…It really hurt to have his hook lodged deep in my lip.

I gritted my teeth with a low hiss, "Look who's talking…if anything, you're the robot here."

I really admired Ms. Ishtar's patience with us. She politely waited for us to finish bickering before continuing with the tour. As soon as Kaiba rolled his eyes at Ms. Ishtar once again, I had decided to introduce my fist to his side. However, his reaction time was much better than I had originally anticipated. He caught my fist with his own much-larger hand and locked it in a tight grip. He smirked down at me before following Ms. Ishtar again.

I tried to break myself free as we all walked down the hall together with two of us "hand in hand". Ms. Ishtar giggled to herself as she listened to me struggle. Sometimes I wondered what side she was playing for.

"Are you enjoying your visit so far, Mr. Kaiba?" she asked.

"In my personal opinion, I think it would be a lot more interesting if you didn't drone on and on about ancient dynasties that have nothing to do with me. I'm beginning to question why you would even invite me if you knew full well that the past glories of dead kings have no effect on me."

Ms. Ishtar's bright face dimmed a little. "Well then, do not worry. I do not intend to keep you here all night merely to lecture you on pharaonic culture."

There was a pause, but I knew what was coming up next.

"However," she continued, "I understand that you play Duel Monsters. What if I told you that the game originated in Ancient Egypt?"

The imminent shock was present on Kaiba's usually stern face. "What?! That can't be!"

For an instant, his grip on my hand faltered and I slipped free. I quickly stuffed it in my suit jacket pocket where it would be safe and sound. I mouthed a silent "thank you" towards Ms. Ishtar and earned a nod in return.

"Now then, I would like to assume that you know Maximillion Pegasus. The very man who created the present form of the game Duel Monsters. It is known by many that he was inspired to create the game after a trip Egypt."

Kaiba tried to reconstruct his demeanor with a sneer. "How can you be so sure? That could just be a rumor spread by crazy fanatics."

With a smile, Ms. Ishtar simply said, "Like a man of your many talents, skills, and wide array of opportunities, I have a few connections of my own."

I grinned to myself, feeling a sense of pride.

"Now, what I am about to show you is a palette that had a part in Pegasus's inspiration. Perhaps it will trigger some in you as well."

We stood before a large doorway that led back into the exhibit. The room beyond it was an inky black darkness that I was hesitant to walk into. Growing up with a brother that said scary movies were "fake" or "not scary" could be quite traumatizing. Especially when he tried to "help" by scaring it out of my system. In truth, Kuzurami made me all the more paranoid.

Sure, there were no scary monsters in real life. There were scary people that made up for that. As of that moment, there was one present and there was no way in hell that I was going in with him.

Thankfully, he went in first and Ms. Ishtar followed. Deeming the room safe, I stayed close behind. The lights flipped on and a shocking truth was revealed to Seto Kaiba, leaving him frozen with disbelief. Ironically, I did the same thing when Ms. Ishtar shared the little secret with me.

"Within these stones are monsters that the pharaoh and his priests had captured in order to tame the evil within their hearts," Ms. Ishtar began. "They were given names and physical forms before they were trapped inside the slabs.

"Meanwhile, the monsters inside became more and more powerful. With these more powerful monsters at their disposal, people that were disloyal to the king acted against him, unleashing the evil power and eventually sent the kingdom spiraling into conflict."

I walked over to the second palette on the wall. "Speaking of conflict, the stone slab here depicts a battle the pharaoh had to face. One that involved a high priest of his court. Maybe something will look familiar on it."

Kaiba shook out of his stupor and tried to force a smirk. "What should I be looking for? Your sense of humor?"

"…You know what? Go ahead and make your jokes. Whatever makes you feel better in dealing with your dicky attitude."

An eyebrow rose smugly. "My 'dicky' attitude? That's not even a real word."

"Be that as it may, but if you're so adamant in dragging out the 'real me' as you say, then that's not really the way to do it."

He tilted his head in interest. "Is that so? I'll keep that in mind…"

The ominous sound of his voice scheming up some unknown and dangerous plan made me regret even speaking to him.

"Just look at the damn rock."

And Kaiba did. What came next was disbelief, confusion, and a dumbfounded face that did not suit him at all. Ms. Ishtar stood beside him gazing upon it as well. In silence, we all watched the stone slab awestruck. The origin of Duel Monsters was depicted on this slab, as well as - to Kaiba - a very familiar face.

"This can't be…!" he shouted. "What's Yugi doing on an ancient relic?!"

Truthfully, I had thought he would notice the Blue-Eyes that "Yugi" was facing.

"And I thought he had a fetish for that thing." I shrugged. "Oh well. Guess not."

Ms. Ishtar shook her head. "I do not know of any 'Yugi'. This is a pharaoh from over three millennia ago. One of which who lost his name over the course of time. The cartouche - a nameplate - below his feet was the only evidence of his name, but alas with time, it too had eroded. As of now, he can only be dubbed as 'The Nameless Pharaoh'."

I could practically hear the growl from Kaiba's lips. He directed his acidic gaze to Ms. Ishtar as she braced herself for his onslaught by standing firm. I myself took a small step away from him.

"Pharaoh?!" he roared. "That's complete bullshit! That person is Yugi Mutou and he goes to the same school as me! You could've made this boulder a few days ago to try and pass it off as truth, but it's not! This cannot and will not be real!"

"And yet it is still here in front of us," she replied. "If you look closely at the beast the priest has summoned, does it not resemble the-?"

"SHUT UP! Get it through your head, Ishizu! 'Duel Monsters' was made in the 90s; not three thousand years ago!"

Both Ms. Ishtar and I got quite the earful. Trying to convince Kaiba that Duel Monsters was thousands of years old was harder than pulling teeth. The result of the attempt made me feel like I went deaf. However, thanks to his little tirade, he proved that he was not at all ready to be mature. I tried to hide the grin I was starting to make.

After a few huffs, Kaiba composed himself, but not once did he drop his guard. "Ishizu…if you, a government official of Egypt, called me here to lecture me on a game I know so much more about than you do, you're wasting my time! I'm in the middle of developing the newest platform for Duel Monsters!"

Kaiba looked over at me as I finally controlled myself. He nodded in acknowledgement, almost seeming apologetic. Almost. I could only nod back. Whatever I could do to get him to leave quicker.

"I suppose that 'reconfiguration' will have to wait," he said. "Until then, try not to lie so much. I'll be expecting someone different when we meet again."

"Can't make any promises."

Another nod. "Farewell then." He gave one last scowl to Ms. Ishtar. "If you don't mind me cutting this meeting short, I have work to do."

Kaiba spun on his heel and marched for the door. The grin was on full blast now. I was victorious. Obelisk was mine!

"You did not let me finish, Kaiba. I have not even touched upon the main subject."

Or so I thought. I had to stop her from ruining this moment. I was not ready to hand over my hard-earned prize. I tugged on her sleeve to get her attention and shook my head at her when she placed her eyes on me.

"Don't even bother. If he says he's done, then he's done. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. He doesn't want to hear anymore about Egypt or the God Cards or-" I gasped and smacked my mouth shut with my hand so hard, it stung like a thousand needles.

"He did not hear. He did not hear. HE DID NOT HEAR!"

As if he could read my mind, Kaiba looked over his shoulder to smirk at me. "I heard that, Takenaga."

"SHIT!"

Fully-turned and heading back to us, the smirking ice devil glanced at Ms. Ishtar. "So…is this true? Are these 'God Cards' real, or is this just your way of bribing me to stay and listen to your ghost stories? Well, Ishizu?"

I wanted to bang my head into a wall until it either made a hole to the other side or I got a serious concussion. I wanted to crack my small briefcase over Kaiba's head and run with Obelisk to the ends of the Earth where we would never be found. Unfortunately, it was not my true nature to do so. So there I stood, deciding to tough it out.

"Yes it is. I was hoping that she would bring it up a little earlier, but I suppose any way works. Now we can get to the more serious material."

Ms. Ishtar took a breath. "Maximillion Pegasus had created three legendary cards to rule over other Duel Monsters: the three Egyptian God Cards. These cards had tremendous powers, some unique and some similar. It is said that the duelist who obtains all three would be given the title of 'Duel King'."

Kaiba's eyes lit up with interest. "Any idea as to where one would find these cards?"

"Sadly, no. We would like for you to find that out. These cards were too great to be released onto the world, so Pegasus had them tucked away in the Valley of the Kings for safe keeping." Her expression became solemn. "Someone found out and has taken them."

As if listening to the sad tale, Obelisk's aura pulsated. I gripped the case tight to set myself at ease. Its aura was not one of sorrow, but of vengeance.

"We do know who is responsible, however," Ms. Ishtar said sternly. "You are familiar with the band of thieves known as 'The Ghouls', correct?"

Kaiba's scowl and gritted teeth was answer enough. "They took the cards? How dare they! Those black market bootleggers don't deserve them! Once I find them, I'll personally take their thieving hands, rip them from their bones, and toss them into the middle of the shark tank at the aquarium!"

I flinched at the disturbingly detailed method of punishment. All that for a card. What if it was a person he cared for that was in danger? I could not even imagine the fury that would come from Kaiba then. Let alone in what condition the one at fault would be.

"We need your help, Kaiba," Ms. Ishtar implored. "And we already have a plan to help you in your venture." She turned to me with that unnervingly gentle smile. "Ami? Would you like to tell him?"

I groaned. "I guess…Ms. Ishtar and I have decided that the best way to draw out rare card hunters is to have a lot of rare cards and duelists in one place. And the best way to draw out duelists?"

Kaiba caught on real quick, "A tournament. And to sweeten the deal, it will be a tournament with a rare card ante. Duelists will be crawling out of every shadow of this country just to compete. And they'll just be the bait."

"Yup. That's the plan."

"They won't be able to resist. It's the perfect way to draw them out." He paused for a moment. Then he directed a contemplative face to me. For a second, I thought he was looking at Ms. Ishtar, but no. His full attention was on me, and he seemed to be planning.

"Got a staring problem?"

He shook his head. "No. I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind competing as well."

My eyes widened. "Wh-what? Are you serious? Don't you need to do some registration protocol or process of elimination to get some of the better duelists?"

"Are you saying that you're not a good duelist?"

"Well, I'm almost good enough for the Card Professor's Guild, but you couldn't have known that, right?"

"You respect the game; that's good enough for me. Besides, I'm extending this as an invitation. So, whether or not you make the cut, you'll still get in."

I stared back at him in doubt. I even looked back at Ms. Ishtar to make sure I heard right. All she could do was grin and shrug. I slowly turned back with narrowed eyes.

"What's the catch? There's always a catch when it comes to people that work in business."

Kaiba just smirked. "One duel."

What a strange request. I get an "all-access pass" and all he wants out of it is one measly duel. There had to be more to it, but who was I to ruin such an opportunity? Not only would I be a part of possibly the biggest tournament of the century, but I could have the chance to mop the floor with Seto Freaking Kaiba. That in itself was just too good to pass up.

I held out my free hand with a smug grin of my own. "You've got yourself a deal, and a duel."

Kaiba took it firmly and gave it one shake. He had no idea what he was getting into. Then again, neither did I. Despite that, I was confident. I knew every card in his deck and every strategy he had ever pulled off. There was nothing that I was not prepared for-

"Before you go and prepare this tournament, we have something to give you."

-except The God of the Obelisk card we were about to pass off to him.

I sighed after releasing Kaiba's hand. From my jacket pocket, I pulled the key to the handcuffs and freed my wrist from the case. With a heavy heart, I popped open the case and presented the card to him. As soon as the card left the case, I could no longer feel its presence. It made me wonder: could Kaiba feel it too? From the look on his face at the time, I could not tell; he was too awestruck that it existed and that it was his to keep.

"I-I thought they were all stolen…," he breathed.

"We were able to recover this one," Ms. Ishtar answered. "If the Ghouls were to catch wind of this card floating around the tournament, they would have no excuse not to participate. Consider this the coup de grâce."

She then became serious. "Use this card to retrieve the other two. Once you have all three, we shall take them back to ensure they shall never be disturbed again."

The laugh from Kaiba was threateningly dark. It literally gave me chills. I almost wanted a palette cleanser to wipe my mind clean of it ever occurring.

"Are you sure you can trust me, Ishizu?" he warned. "What if I do obtain the cards, but refuse to let them go?"

Unwavering, she replied, "I trust you."

Unwavering, I replied, "I don't."

With a final jeer to us, Kaiba left with the Obelisk. When he was no longer visible, I closed the case and set it at my feet before clenching my fists. My objective was crystal clear; I had to make sure that those cards got into the right hands.

"That duel you want so badly might come sooner than you think, Kaiba. And when I win, I'll be taking Obelisk back. Just you wait."

It was silent then, save for my and Ms. Ishtar's breathing. Almost a little too quiet. And then, Ms. Ishtar just had to say something.

"I think you like him."

"MS. ISHTAR! I DO NOT!"

Please R&R and be ready for chapter three!